Getting Real in the Job Interview

You’ve likely seen someone who was great in the interview, but turned out to be a jerk under day-to-day interactions. And the opposite also happens – the stress of the interview makes someone tongue-tied or goofy, when they would be a good asset to the team.

By the time you are asked to interview (F2F or video) the employer has already determined you have the qualifications for the job.  The interview to see if you are good “fit” with the organization and the team.

Work experience still trumps all other qualifications in the recruiting process. Personality and fit with the culture ranked ahead of such factors as leadership experience in a 2014 survey of more than 2,300 chief executive officers, human-resource managers and other executives in 18 countries. The study, by Universum, a consulting firm for employer branding, found nearly half of respondents rate personality profile as one of the most important hiring considerations and about 40% cite culture fit.

Picking the wrong personality is expensive for both employee and employer. The individual will be unhappy and ultimately unemployed, while the employer will have wasted thousands of dollars on recruiting and training.

Getting real in the interview does not mean you should wing it, nor should you recite a script. But you should be able to pull your thoughts together to both answer and ask questions to determine if this is a good fit you.

• Practice what you want to say for the basic interview questions (search on “commonly asked interviewing questions”).
• Know the examples you want to talk about. Make sure they are relevant to the organization’s needs.
• If you don’t have a response to a question, say so, and ask to come back to it later in the conversation.
• Ask a career coach or trusted colleague to do a mock interview with you and tell you how you come across.

Everyone knows you’re a bit nervous about the interview.  Remember, this is a business conversation. Focus on understanding their needs and how your experience can help them. Let your natural personality show them who you are.